Just One Thing: The Politics of Abortion
Even more aggressively different than gun laws between, say, California and Arizona, or between Illinois and Texas, are the extreme reactions by both blue and red states in the aftermath of the overturning of Roe v Wade last year. Conservative states are passing 6-week abortion bans; some women don’t even know they’re pregnant at 6 weeks. That’s far outside of the American mainstream policy preference though maybe not so far in the states in question. And Colorado and other blue states are codifying the permissibility of abortion up until the moment of birth, and even for minors without notifying parents. That’s every bit as extreme. Will the states moderate their laws, or, as seems more likely, will Americans simply move, turning red states redder and blue states bluer?
New laws make Minnesota a 'refuge' for abortion, gender-affirming care (startribune.com)
Or, just maybe, some sanity: Conservative lawmakers stop abortion limits in Nebraska, South Carolina - The Washington Post
Today's Guests
Jared is a tech at John Elway Chevrolet. He's on to answer an "I've Been Wondering" question that I've wondered about for quite a long time: When I see what looks like quite a lot of water coming out of a vehicle's tailpipe, is it actually water and where is it coming from? (Guessing some sort of condensation but I'm very much NOT an expert on engines.)
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Phil Weiser is the Attorney General of Colorado. We'll discuss his arguments at the Supreme Court in an interesting First Amendment (free speech) case: Colorado free speech case goes before U.S. Supreme Court (denverpost.com) (Subscription possibly required)
In Counterman v. Colorado, the Supreme Court mocked stalking victims. (slate.com)
More for law nerds: The Supreme Court Considers “True Threats” and the First Amendment | Sherry F. Colb | Verdict | Legal Analysis and Commentary from Justia
Also, we'll discuss whether Phil's office will officially try to stop the Albertsons/Kroger (Safeway/King Soopers) merger. https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2023/04/27/kroger-antitrust-lawsuit-response.html (Subscription may be required.)
And we'll cover the tricky legal question raised by this case: Federal judge weighs further intervention in abortion law | Courts | coloradopolitics.com
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John Licato is Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, and director of the Advancing Machine and Human Reasoning Lab, at the University of South Florida. Our primary topic will be the inevitable advent of AI-generated spam email but we may delve into other Artificial Intelligence-related topics.
John Licato | Computer Science and Engineering | University of South Florida (usf.edu)
Personalized AI-Written Spam May Soon Be Flooding Your Gmail (gizmodo.com)
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Other Stuff
You might think I'm joking when I say the punishment should be stoning but I'm not: Men who threw rocks that killed Alexa Bartell took picture of the car (coloradosun.com)
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The beginning of a little pushback? Republican women's group expels Vickie Tonkins | Elections | coloradopolitics.com
More pushback? Spielberg, Who Regrets Cutting ‘E.T.’ Guns, Says Don’t Revise Old Works
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Maybe a little pushback in the prior stories, but things won't really get better until all these prosecutors are gone: Teens face only misdemeanor charges -- of criminal trespassing -- after crashing stolen car, killing infant in Chicago
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And things won't get better until "merit" is paramount in hiring again:
The ‘Hurtful’ Idea of Scientific Merit - WSJ
In Defense of Merit in Science (journalofcontroversialideas.org)
Here’s the paper: https://www.journalofcontroversialideas.org/download/article/3/1/236/pdf
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Very interesting, and a big loss for Denver taxpayers but it seems like the right answer: 10th Circuit upholds excessive force verdict against Denver | Courts | coloradopolitics.com
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Another right answer: Meta notches win in states' antitrust suit (msn.com)
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I bet Manchin retires, or even considers running for governor again, rather than face a very likely loss: Jim Justice announces 2024 Senate bid in potential Manchin showdown (axios.com)
And the primary will be ugly: W.Va. Gov. Justice announces Senate bid, setting up possible clash with Manchin (Washington Post)
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This is a super-weird sports story: REPORT: Intoxicated Woman Found in Valeri Nichushkin's Hotel Room Required Transport to Hospital (coloradohockeynow.com)
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America, 2023: L.A. Councilwoman Blames Toyota for Catalytic-Converter Theft, Opposes Motion Targeting Thieves (msn.com)
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Hey, if I lived in the hellhole that is San Francisco, I'd pay $75 for a nice distraction too, and at least this one keeps your dog away from smelling human poop and used needles: I treated my dog to a $75 tasting menu at a SF restaurant for canines. She loved it, and it was so fun watching her eat from the table.
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Perhaps the single most insane statistic I’ve ever heard: “Nicolai Tangen, chief executive of Norway’s $1.4tn oil fund — which owns on average 1.5 per cent of every listed company globally — said he believed that there is not enough regulation of the fast-growing sector and that he wanted new rules to govern how AI is used.”
(Read the part between the dashes again...and then again.)
Norway’s $1.4tn wealth fund calls for state regulation of AI | Financial Times
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Chinese train Mexican cartels on how to use Chinese products to make fentanyl that kills Americans: Indictment shows role of China's chemical firms in fentanyl crisis | The Spokesman-Review
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This will, ummm, blow you away: Opinion | A Litany of Clichés - The New York Times
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All the GOP needs to do to beat Joe Biden is not nominate Donald Trump: Biden Begins Reelection Bid at Low Point in His Presidency
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Today's Videos (the last one is most important)
Cats and dogs living together!
I don't have a place to use it right now but I want this stuff
The last-ever episode of The Late Late Show (with James Corden)
Killer Mike on free speech
ONE LAST THING
Here are some photos of our Sardines with Mayo on Club crackers. Producer Dragon wasn't able to stomach them. Producer ARod (who purposefully showed up late) refused to give them a try. I found them quite enjoyable and went back for more.
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